98 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



with ochraceous ; head, neck and upper back umber, changing into fuscous 

 brown on scapulars and lower back ; belly and speculum white. Wing 8.25 

 to 8.75; culmen 1.90; tarsus 1.38. 



Geog. Dist. — Northern part of northern hemisphere, breeding in the far 

 north, and from Manitoba to Alaska ; rarely breeding in Minnesota and North 

 Dakota ; winters from Maine (occasionally) but more commonly from Long 

 Island south to South America. 



County Records. — Androscoggin; (Johnson). Cumberland; common, 

 (Brock); chiefly in April and October, (Brown, C. B. P. p. 32). Hancock; 

 have a winter specimen from near Bucksport, it is common fall and spring, 

 (Knight). Knox; winter, (Rackliff). Sagadahoc; quite common in fall, 

 (Spinney). Waldo; flocks seen out in the bay in late October from which 

 individuals taken were of this species, (Knight). Washington ; not common, 

 (Boardman). 



This species usually occurs associated with its near relative, 

 the Lesser Scaup, which latter seems far less common along 

 our coast. The greater number of records are in fall, some- 

 what fewer in spring, March and April and October and Novem- 

 ber, the greater number wintering south of our coast and breed- 

 ing entirely north of our limits. Six to ten olive gray eggs 

 are laid. A nest found at Myvatu, North Iceland, June 21, 

 1895, contained five eggs measuring 2.46 x 1.72, 2.52 x 1.70, 

 2.38 x 1.77, 2.58 x 1.77, 2.51 x 1.70. The nest of grass lined 

 with down was on the ground near a pond. Examination of 

 stomachs of this species indicated that its principal food while 

 with us consists of millions of small crustaceans of the surface 

 swimming varieties, also many small mussels and mollusks. 

 The birds usually occur in large flocks. This is the so-called 

 American Scaup Duck of previous lists which has recently 

 proved to be indistinguishable from European specimens. 



/ 



149. Aythyaaffinu(Yiyi.^. Lesser Scaup Duck ; Little Raft- 

 Duck; Little Black-head; Little Bluebill; Greek Broadbill. 

 Plumage of adult males : head glossed with purplish ; flanks with strong 

 wavy black bars ; otherwise not different from adult corresponding plumage 

 of Scaup Duck but of smaller size. Plumage of adult females : smaller than 

 female Scaup Duck ; flanks heavily barred. Wing 7.50 to 8.15 ; culmen 1.70 ; 

 tarsus 1.32. 



